This invention relates to personal digital assistants and to methods of scheduling events using such personal digital assistants.
In recent years, there has been an increasing use of compact, pocket-size electronic personal organizers that store personal scheduling information such as appointments, tasks, phone numbers, flight schedules, alarms, birthdays, and anniversaries. Such organizers are commonly referred to as personal digital assistants or PDAs. PDAs can be differentiated from more general-purpose computers in terms of size, functionality, and power requirements. PDAs are typically smaller than conventional portable notebook or laptop computers, and are often small enough to fit within a user""s pocket or purse. Input is often through a pen instead of a full keyboard or mouse. A PDA display is smaller than a conventional desktop or portable computer. PDAs are usually designed to provide specific functions such as personal organization (calendar, note taking, database, calculator, and so on) as well as communications, although customized applications can be downloaded and executed by some PDAs. Power for PDAs is supplied primarily from batteries, which may or may not be rechargeable. Data storage is usually by means of flash memory rather than power-hungry disk drives.
PDAs now being developed integrate the functions of many devices now used on the road. For instance, PDAs can include communications devices such as cellular telephones and pagers. This allows a personal information manager (PIM) within a PDA to be updated remotely, by transferring data using cellular and paging networks. It is envisioned that devices such as this will be able to receive data and instructions using such communications technologies. In addition, PDAs will be able to exchange data with each other, often without explicit instructions from users.
Even though many PDAs are now very capable, their user interface is often limited because of the desirably small size of such PDAs. This makes it difficult to program many PDAs. One solution to this dilemma is to do all the programming on a more full-functioned device such as a desktop or laptop computer, and to then download information from the computer to the PDA. Devices that work this way are available. Such devices also allow information to be input directly into the PDA, using the available user interface of the PDA.
Many PDAs have certain features that can be programmed to occur at specific times. For example, it is possible to enter an appointment or anniversary into a personal information manager, and have the PDA sound an alarm or display an icon at a specified time before the appointment or anniversary. Similarly, it is possible on some PDAs to disable their paging speakers during certain hours that are specified by the user.
While these time-based functions are useful, they are generally limited to a pre-defined set of functions that a device manufacturer believes will be most widely used.
In the general-purpose computer environment, time-based events are common. For example, the Unix operating system has an xe2x80x9catxe2x80x9d command that can be used by an operator to dynamically specify a program and a time for the program""s execution. To date, however, it has not been feasible to provide this capability within a PDA.
However, the inventors have recognized the desirability of extending the functionality of a PDA after it has been sold to a consumer. One way to extend device functionality is to allow a user to specify arbitrary actions or events for initiation at specified times.
In accordance with the invention, events are defined and encapsulated in what are referred to as time-triggered data objects. Each such data object is an independent, self-contained piece of data that specifies both an action and a time for initiating the action.
A data object can be sent to a PDA from different sources, using different available transmission media. The format of a time-triggered data object is the same, however, regardless of the source of the data object.
For example, a time-triggered data object can be sent to a PDA in a paging message. This method of transfer is highly desirable because it can be accomplished without user intervention. Also, time-triggered data objects can be sent by people other than the user of the PDA, such as the user""s secretary. Alternatively, a time-triggered message can be transferred using a cellular phone network or using a short-range infrared communications signal.
The PDA accepts time-triggered data objects, and initiates the specified actions at the specified times. Actions will most frequently be simple reminders, accompanied by an alarm. However, an action might also consist of executing a specified application program, and the application program itself can be downloaded to the PDA. This allows tremendous flexibility, and provides a way to extend the capabilities of the PDA.